Sunday, July 04, 2010

RISK... Triple digits on the heat index, and thousands of tourists, here for the Independence Day extravaganzas, are clogging the Metro and the sidewalks. With their huge fold-out maps and what often seems like four generations in tow, it can get a bit sticky out there, especially on the Mall. Unfortunately, you forgot to plan accordingly and are stuck in the hell we call summer in Washington. They say the best way to solve problems is to hit them head on, , so shoot down to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the epicenter of the summer tourist walkabout.
REWARD... The featured foods of Mexico, Asia/Pacific Islands, and the American South are everywhere, as are the appropriate beers like Pacifico, Chang, and Rolling Rock(!), to wash it all down. Try the Bhelpuri-an Indian street food made fresh to order from puffed rice, fried noodle-like crisps, and tomatoes and chutneys. Wash it down with an icy mango lassi. Or, if you need to simmer down a bit, the Indian beer Kingfisher. That should cool you back down to 98.6.